October 5, 2010

1 Kings 8

You’ve seen the posters and bumper stickers, “In God we trust. All others pay cash,” or “In God we trust; everyone else keep your hand where we can see therm.” If you were to stand before the nation and proclaim the glory of the Lord, what would you say? Solomon at the high point of his life and the life of Israel says this, “There is no God in heaven above or on earth below like You, who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts.” One of the great things about the glory of our Lord is that he keeps His covenant. He keeps His promises. If He promised it, I can depend upon it. I can bank on it, as we used to say. Well what has he promised?

As many as receive Him to them He gives the right to become the children of God.

I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Ask according to His will and He will do it.

What is His will? Our sanctification, That we should become like Him. He is faithful to bring it about. Will He do it? Of course He will. He desires that we keep our focus upon Him and claim His unfailing promise. When was the last time I claimed His promise for the sake of His glory? When the priests came out of the sanctuary the cloud of glory of the Lord filled the temple so that the priests could not enter it. Most of His promises relate to Him changing our lives so that we reflect His glory. We are His sanctuary. He receives the greatest glory when we claim His promises to change us into the image of His glory. Someday we will be able to stand before all creation and say, “Look at the glory of the Lord! Look at how he has changed our lives. Look at how we are spotless and without blemish because of what He has done!” What a day that will be. His cloud of glory will settle upon us. Oh that it would happen now. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

Philippians 1

I occasionally make things out of wood (book shelves, chest of drawers etc.). I enjoy the challenge of designing and figuring out how to make the pieces so that they fit together in one strong beautiful unit. However, once I reach that point in my mind where I know that most of the hurdles have been cleared, I start to loose interest. The mundane finishing parts don't excite me too much. I currently (2005) have a project that I have been doing for Beth that is unfinished. It is in the state where she can use it and is using it. But the trim work that I planned around the top is not finished. It's been that way for probably 8 or nine months now. I just can't get motivated to finish the work.

Do you ever feel like God has quit working on you? He hasn't! He completes His work! Unlike the glory of John Chaffin, who often leaves a trail of unfinished projects in his wake, the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ is such that He always finishes His work. He has begun a good work in every person who has trusted Him as their Lord and Savior. Granted it is a work that is a lifetime in progress. But, He will complete His work. That work is to mold us into His own image.

How does He work on us in this life? He works on us through our relationship with Him. The more open we are to Him in our personal relationship, the more He accomplishes in changing us. That is why Paul said, "To live is Christ." His whole life revolved around the Lord Jesus Christ. That is a large part of why God used him so mightily. Paul also realized that because his life was Christ to die would be gain because then he would just have more of Christ! It is the glory of Christ to change us. It is the glory of Christ that our lives should revolve around Him! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor John